After Agra-Jaipur Shatabdi set to shut down, fare cut likely on 25 Shatabdi

Posted by: दीप on 25-03-2018 13:00

New Delhi: Fares in premium Shatabdi trains on sections with low passenger occupancy could be slashed soon as the railways looks to ensure optimum utilization of resources, a senior government official has said.

Move to lower fares is encouraged by the success of a pilot project launched on two routes last year.

The national transporter has identified 25 such Shatabdi trains in which this scheme could be implemented, the official said.

"Indian Railway is actively working on a proposal in this regard," the official told PTI.

The development comes at a time when the national transporter is facing flak over the flexi-fare scheme and the general contention that it has led to a spike in fares in Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto trains.

The Railways runs around 45 Shatabdi trains and these are among the fastest in the country.

Under the scheme, the fares were reduced between Jaipur and Ajmer, and Bengaluru and Mysuru -- the sections of the route which witnessed perpetual low occupancy.

To attract passengers, the Railways decided to match the bus fare in the premium train and reduced the ticket prices to about Rs 300 in this section.